With a Quebec spring election expected, Pauline Marois is promising that if re-elected her PQ will present a “white paper” on the province’s future.

Quebec Premier Pauline Marois is not committing herself to holding a referendum if she wins a majority mandate, reiterating that such a vote must happen at the appropriate moment.

Published on Thu Feb 06 2014

SHAWINIGAN, QUE.—Quebec Premier Pauline Marois is reviving discussion about whether her Parti Québécois government should hold another sovereignty referendum — but says such a vote would happen only when the population is ready.

With a spring election call expected, Marois is promising that if re-elected her PQ will present a “white paper” on the province’s future.

The document would consult Quebecers on the merits of holding another vote on sovereignty — an exercise used by late PQ heavyweight René Lévesque.

This would be the first consultation of its kind since a commission to examine the future of Quebec was held before the 1995 referendum on independence.

“In the next mandate, we will resume our collective reflection,” she said in a speech Wednesday night in Trois-Rivières.

“A Parti Québécois government will present a white paper on Quebec’s future.”

“It’s another way to shift people’s attention away from the true reality of Quebec, which is a very weak economy, (and) public finances that are very badly managed,” he told reporters in Quebec City on Thursday, adding that the province has “at least two — if not three years of deficit ahead of us.”

Recent polls have suggested support for the PQ has climbed since it introduced its controversial identity charter on the accommodation of religious minorities.

More on thestar.com

We value respectful and thoughtful discussion. Readers are encouraged to flag comments that fail to meet the standards outlined in our
Community Code of Conduct.
For further information, including our legal guidelines, please see our full website
Terms and Conditions.